Remember Me Smiling
by Tinks231
Summary: "She smiled gently at him. It was the only thing left that she could give." Song fic, Shipwreck/OC.


Okay...so I'm guilty of writing another self-indulgent song fic...I couldn't help myself, I heard the song and the idea just popped into my head, and I had to do it. Trust me, I _did_ try without having the song in there, but it didn't work as well. :P I've noticed that all my fics seem to lean toward the 'tragic' side of things. Either it's a character with a dodgy background, or somebody goes and dies...maybe one day I'll write something happy for a change :D

Anyway, the song's called 'Sailboats'. It's by Brooke Fraser, from her album 'Flags'. It's good, I recommend it :D

Oh, and a disclaimer is in order, since I've been forgetting to put them in: I don't own G.I Joe. I just love it a little too much. I also don't own the song. Depressing, isn't it? :P

* * *

><p>The cell was small, barely three metres wide, and yet it served Cobra's purpose well. Shipwreck strained against the shackles chaining him to the concrete wall, trying to tear the bolts out with sheer strength.<p>

"If you're gonna Hulk out or something, 'Wreck, now would be the time to do it."

Shipwreck glanced across the room to Jeckle, sitting by the opposite wall. Her pretty green eyes were downcast; she had her arms wrapped around her knees as far as her chains would allow. Remarkably small already - the top of her shaggy red-haired head only just reached his chin - she looked even tinier now.

She met his gaze and offered him a small, helpless smile. "We're not gonna get out of this one, are we?" she asked quietly.

"Sure we are, sweetheart," he answered. "You just watch. The others know we're here, an' I reckon…if I can just get this bolt -"

"Shipwreck."

He stopped, fixing his eyes on Jeckle. She was shaking - she was trying to hide it, but he could see her shoulders quivering. She was scared.

Hell, he was scared, too. He wanted to go to her, to sit beside her and hold her as tight as he could. But the Crimson Guardsmen had made sure they were separated, that they couldn't even hold each other while they were waiting for…whatever was coming.

"Holly, we're gonna get outta here. I promise, darlin', we're gonna get outta here."

Too bad he didn't believe it. Not this time; _this_ time they were in deep, and Shipwreck wasn't sure if…

Well, he just wasn't sure.

At least they were together. That was all that mattered. They were together, and whatever comfort Shipwreck could give her, he was going to damn well give it.

She deserved that much.

* * *

><p><em>We're adrift on a sailboat,<em>

_my love is the sea._

_Yours is the horizon,_

_constant and steady_

* * *

><p>Why wasn't he stronger, like Roadblock? Or smarter, like - he hated to say it - Duke? Why couldn't he get out of these shackles?<p>

"Hey, 'Wreck?"

She was smiling at him again, but it was a sad smile that damn near broke his heart. "Yeah?"

"Whatever happens…I wouldn't change anything." For a brief second, the smile grew into the usual cheeky grin. "I don't mean to sound sappy, but…I'm glad you're here." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Well, not _here_, obviously, because this situation sucks majorly. I mean…I'm glad you're with me. If I was by myself…"

Shipwreck hushed her. "Enough of that talk," he said gently. "I promised you we're gettin' outta here, didn't I? Don't I always deliver on promises?"

"Well, there _was_ that time -"

"That doesn't count," he interrupted quickly, even though he had no idea what she was going to say.

She looked at him for a moment, and then - taking him by surprise - she started to laugh. "I guess not," she said between giggles. "How were _you_ to know Zap was gonna go through with it, right? I still say you should've known better than to make that bet."

Shipwreck began to snigger, then caught the satisfied look on Jeckle's face.

Damn. Here he was, thinking _he_ was the one making _her_ feel better, and it was the other way around.

But then, hadn't it always been that way?

* * *

><p><em>You set my limbs, locked hard afloat.<em>

_Lifted my lonesome sails_

_The tide is out,_

_the moon is high,_

_We're sailing._

* * *

><p>Jeckle watched 'Wreck as he struggled with the chains. It had to be hurting him - she could see from here that his wrists were red and raw. She didn't know how long they'd been in the cell; it was at least a couple of hours, though, because she needed to pee. She was really starting to regret drinking that whole canteen of water en route to the rendezvous point they'd never got to.<p>

He hadn't stopped. The whole time, 'Wreck had been trying to get free, talking non-stop, reassuring her that they were going to get out.

Jeckle had always liked to look on the bright side…but even _she_ had to admit: things were looking pretty dull right about now.

Still, she was glad she wasn't alone. It was selfish - she should be wishing Shipwreck had escaped the Cobra ambush, that he wasn't in danger with her - but she didn't know what she would've done if she was alone.

* * *

><p><em>Darling, your love is healing;<em>

_It makes the bitter sweet._

_Warms the winter to spring again,_

_secures the cold's defeat_

* * *

><p>Jeckle sat up straighter as she heard the heavy door unlock. It swung open, and three Siegies - they may have been the same ones who'd thrown her and Shipwreck in here - walked in. They glanced at each other, then one approached her. The other two went for Shipwreck.<p>

"Hey. Hey! Get away from 'er!" Shipwreck shouted. "Ya want someone, take me!"

The first of the two Crimson Guardsman smashed his clenched fist against 'Wreck's cheekbone as the third hauled Jeckle to her feet and unlocked the shackles. She tried to bring her knee up into the man's crotch, but he jumped back, grabbing her arm and slamming her face-first against the cold wall.

"Let go of 'er, ya son of a bitch!"

"Shut your face!" the second Siegie spat. "You're coming, too. We aren't gonna let you miss _this_."

The Siegie cuffed Jeckle's hands behind her back, then yanked her around and frogmarched her toward the door. She kicked out, hoping to buy some time by bracing her foot on the doorframe, but the Siegie just gave her a violent shake before spinning her around and slapping her hard across the face. She blinked back the tears that welled up in her eyes, her cheek stinging.

Shipwreck gave a fearsome shout. Jeckle heard the first Siegie grunt, and then she staggered sideways as her captor suddenly fell, knocked aside as the sailor slammed into him.

"Holly, go!"

She hesitated. "Not without -"

"_Now_!"

Jeckle took off out the door, her heart ripping in two as she left Shipwreck behind. She could hear the two Siegies laying into him - hear their fists thumping into 'Wreck's stomach, hear her sailor boy gasping for breath, groaning in pain.

She didn't get very far before the other Siegie tackled her and knocked her sprawling to the floor. With her hands cuffed behind her back, she couldn't even try to prevent her fall. Her chin smacked painfully against the floor; her teeth clicked together hard. She felt a small chunk come off the side of her tongue as she bit through it, tasted the coppery blood flooding around her mouth.

The Siegie grabbed her by the front of her shirt and dragged her to her feet. She spat in his face, trying to pull away; he shifted his grip to her throat and started to squeeze. She only stopped moving when her vision began to fade to black at the edges.

* * *

><p><em>The cutting anchor casting out<em>

_into the glorious deep___

_The tide is out,_

_the moon is high,_

_We're sailing._

* * *

><p>Shipwreck swore loudly as he saw the blood dripping down Jeckle's chin. He was bleeding himself; from his nose, which he was pretty sure was broken, and from his split bottom lip.<p>

"'Wreck, are you o -" she started, her eyes filled with concern.

"Shut up!" The Siegie holding Jeckle shoved her forward a few steps. She stumbled and fell to her knees; she gave a sharp cry as the man twisted his fingers in her hair and dragged her until she got her feet beneath her.

"Bastard! I swear ta god, if you hurt her -" Shipwreck snarled.

His outburst earned him a sharp jab to the nose. A new wave of blood poured down his front, and for a moment, he thought he was about to black out - everything went fuzzy. His nose was definitely broken.

Not that he gave a damn about that, or whatever else happened to him - but he wanted to kill the Siegie for laying his hands on Jeckle. He had to stay conscious for _her_.

"'Wreck?" she called over her shoulder.

"I'm okay," he gasped, trying to sound reassuring. He didn't think he succeeded.

The Siegies frogmarched them through the corridors. Finally, they were forced through a set of doors into a large room. There were only a few other people in it - red-suited Crimson Guards…and one man in blue.

He wore a featureless, shining facemask.

Shipwreck's blood went cold.

* * *

><p><em>When we succumb to decrepitude<em>

_Still our love will remain in it's youth._

* * *

><p>The Siegie shoved her forward again, pushing down on her cuffed wrists, forcing her to her knees before the man in the mask.<p>

She'd never seen Cobra Commander in person before. She'd seen photos, but she'd never seen _him_.

That mask…it was just plain creepy.

Jeckle tried to stand, looking over her shoulder for Shipwreck. He looked back dazedly - his eyes were already a little swollen, his nose looked broken. Blood ran down into his beard; there were splatters of it on the front of his light blue shirt.

Despite this, he didn't take his eyes off her. He struggled a little, wincing in pain - something else was hurting, not just his face.

Jeckle watched, her heart breaking, as the guards forced him to his knees, too, not far away. They held him tightly; they needn't have bothered. Shipwreck was slumping to one side, hissing as he breathed.

But his dark eyes never left hers.

* * *

><p><em>The tide is out,<em>

_the moon is high,_

_We're sailing…_

* * *

><p>He had to do something. He had to get her out of here. He'd promised, and he always delivered on his promises. Hadn't he just told her that?<p>

The problem was he couldn't move. His ribs felt like they were trying to saw through his chest. It was hard to breathe through his shattered nose.

"Hello, Shipwreck," Cobra Commander said pleasantly. "I'm so glad you're able to join us for our entertainment tonight." He turned his head purposefully to Jeckle. "And you must be Holly. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"That's _Jeckle_ to you, Fang Face," she shot back, not quite managing to keep her voice from shaking.

Shipwreck wished she hadn't said that…yet at the same time, he was so proud of her.

"Of course," the Commander said soothingly. He gestured to the Siegie standing behind her. "You can kill her now."

* * *

><p><em>We're sailing…<em>

* * *

><p>It had started out as just some playful flirting. It had been fun, but Jeckle hadn't really expected it to go anywhere; Shipwreck was notorious for skirt-chasing. She hadn't minded. Anyway, she'd always had a thing for sailors.<p>

And then she'd gone on her first mission as a Joe - the mission where she'd taken a round in her left side just beneath her ribs, and her best friend, Heckle, had been killed. Shipwreck had stayed by her side in the infirmary - she'd been told he'd been there even during the time she'd been unconscious. He'd stayed with her during the long nights when she'd sobbed uncontrollably, the death of her best friend overwhelming her in the long, lonely darkness.

Shipwreck was the only person who'd seen her cry like that. Sure, other Joes had seen her cry…but not like _that_. Maybe Lifeline and Doc had heard…if they had, they'd never said anything. But sailor boy - he'd been the one who made her laugh when she thought she'd never laugh again. He'd hugged her heaving shoulders, rubbed her back as she fought for breath after hitching breath, rocked her back and forth in his arms, holding her tight.

She wished she could return the favour. Who was going to hold him when _she_ was gone? Who was going to whisper in _his_ ear, tell him it was okay, that it'd get better in time? Who was going to make _him_ laugh?

He loved her - she _knew_ he did. He didn't need to tell her.

Jeckle felt the cold barrel of the gun press firmly against her temple. So, this was it. She wanted to close her eyes, but she didn't want take her eyes off her sailor boy. He was going to be the last thing she saw. She'd always hoped that maybe, one day, he'd be the first thing she saw when she woke up, and the last before she went to sleep.

Well…it didn't look like that was going to happen, now. A pang of loss ached in her chest. She'd always wondered if it was possible to miss something she'd never had - like the people in all those sappy songs, and movies, and books. Now she knew it was.

She and Shipwreck had had their good times. She thought about them now. If Cobra Commander was going to take her life _now_, he couldn't take those memories from her, and she was damn well going to think of them just to spite him.

Not much of a consolation. She'd much rather have more good times. But hey…she'd had her fair share. She guessed she couldn't really complain.

"No…no, no, please, no. Holly -"

Shipwreck was crying; she could see the tears shining on his cheeks. She smiled gently at him. It was the only thing left that she could give. She wanted him to remember her smiling. "Hector…I love -"

* * *

><p>…<em>We're sailing…<em>

* * *

><p><em>BLAM!<em>


End file.
